Urination - excessive amount
Polyuria
Excessive amount of urination means that your body makes larger than normal amounts of urine each day.
Causes
An excessive volume of urination for an adult is more than 2.5 liters of urine per day. However, this can vary depending on how much water you drink and what your total body water is. This problem is different from needing to urinate often.
Polyuria is a fairly common symptom. People often notice the problem when they have to get up during the night to use the bathroom (nocturia).
Some common causes of the problems are:
-
Diabetes insipidus
Diabetes insipidus
Diabetes insipidus is an uncommon condition in which the kidneys are unable to prevent the excretion of water.
-
Diabetes mellitus
Diabetes mellitus
Diabetes is a chronic disease in which the body cannot regulate the amount of sugar in the blood.
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Drinking excessive amounts of water
Drinking excessive amounts of water
Excessive thirst is an abnormal feeling of always needing to drink fluids.
Less common causes include:
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Kidney failure
Kidney failure
Acute kidney failure is the rapid (less than 2 days) loss of your kidneys' ability to remove waste and help balance fluids and electrolytes in your b...
- Medicines such as diuretics and lithium
- High or low calcium level in the body
-
Drinking alcohol and caffeine
Drinking alcohol and caffeine
Caffeine is a substance that is found in certain plants. It can also be man-made and added to foods. It is a central nervous system stimulant and a...
-
Sickle cell anemia
Sickle cell anemia
Sickle cell anemia is a disease passed down through families. The red blood cells that are normally shaped like a disc take on a sickle or crescent ...
Also, your urine production may increase for 24 hours after having tests that involve injecting a special dye (contrast medium) into your vein during imaging tests such as a CT scan or an MRI scan.
Home Care
To monitor your urine output, keep a daily record of the following:
- How much you drink
- How often you urinate and how much urine you produce each time
- How much you weigh (use the same scale every day)
When to Contact a Medical Professional
Call your health care provider if you have excessive urination over several days, and it is not explained by medicines you take or drinking more fluids.
What to Expect at Your Office Visit
Your provider will perform a physical exam and ask questions such as:
- When did the problem start and has it changed over time?
- How often do you urinate? Do you get up at night to urinate?
- Do you have problems controlling your urine?
- What makes the problem worse? Better?
- Have you noticed any blood in your urine or change in urine color?
- Do you have any other symptoms (such as pain, burning, fever, or abdominal pain)?
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Do you have a history of diabetes, kidney disease, or
urinary infections
?
Urinary infections
A urinary tract infection, or UTI, is an infection of the urinary tract. The infection can occur at different points in the urinary tract, including...
- What medicines do you take?
- How much salt do you eat? Do you drink alcohol and caffeine?
Tests that may be done include:
- Blood sugar (glucose) test
-
Blood urea nitrogen
test
Blood urea nitrogen
BUN stands for blood urea nitrogen. Urea nitrogen is what forms when protein breaks down. A test can be done to measure the amount of urea nitrogen ...
-
Creatinine
(serum)
Creatinine
The creatinine blood test measures the level of creatinine in the blood. This test is done to see how well your kidneys are working. Creatinine can ...
-
Electrolytes
(serum)
Electrolytes
A comprehensive metabolic panel is a group of blood tests. They provide an overall picture of your body's chemical balance and metabolism. Metaboli...
- Fluid deprivation test (limiting fluids to see if the urine volume decreases)
-
Osmolality
blood test
Osmolality
Osmolality is a test that measures the concentration of all chemical particles found in the fluid part of blood. Osmolality can also be measured with...
- Urinalysis
-
Urine osmolality
test
Urine osmolality
The osmolality urine test measures the concentration of particles in urine. Osmolality can also be measured using a blood test.
References
Gerber GS, Brendler CB. Evaluation of the urologic patient: history, physical examination, and the urinalysis. In: Wein AJ, Kavoussi LR, Novick AC, Partin AW, eds. Campbell-Walsh Urology . 10th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier Saunders; 2012:chap 3.
Landry DW, Bazari H. Approach to the patient with renal disease. In: Goldman L, Schafer AI, eds. Goldman's Cecil Medicine . 25th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier Saunders; 2016:chap 114.
Venkataraman R, Kellum JA. Polyuria. In: Vincent JL, Abraham E, Moore FA, Kochanek PM, Fink MP, eds. Textbook of Critical Care . 6th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier Saunders; 2011:chap 10.
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Female urinary tract - illustration
The female and male urinary tracts are relatively the same except for the length of the urethra.
Female urinary tract
illustration
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Male urinary tract - illustration
The male and female urinary tracts are relatively the same except for the length of the urethra.
Male urinary tract
illustration
-
Female urinary tract - illustration
The female and male urinary tracts are relatively the same except for the length of the urethra.
Female urinary tract
illustration
-
Male urinary tract - illustration
The male and female urinary tracts are relatively the same except for the length of the urethra.
Male urinary tract
illustration
Review Date: 8/31/2015
Reviewed By: Jennifer Sobol, DO, urologist at the Michigan Institute of Urology, West Bloomfield, MI. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Isla Ogilvie, PhD, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.